PICNIC PRINCIPLES

Courtney Weaver, SPECIAL TO THE EXAMINER

Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, May 24, 1995

The picnic is the chameleon of the dining experience. It assumes whichever characteristic you impose upon it, whether romantic, convivial, fussy, relaxed, inventive, elaborate, nostalgic or heartbreakingly simple. The most successful picnics will be a combination of these qualities.

At its most basic, the picnic is a time to eat and drink in the sunshine with a group of loved ones, with the aroma of warm grass or the sound of crashing waves mingling in the background.

Now more than ever, the annual summer picnic takes on special meaning. It is the penultimate excuse to exit off the information superhighway, to get away from the modern world of faxes and phone tag and e-mail. It is a time to reunite face-to-face with friends and family - to reconnect, to reminisce.

Picnicking with a group doesn't have to be an organizational nightmare. A potluck picnic, where everyone brings one or two of their favorite sandwiches, a bottle of wine and some fruit is simple yet elegant. Bring a few colorful Biordi platters, cut the sandwiches into six pieces and let all sample to their hearts' content. Ideally, if one person can coordinate the logistics of time and place, the picnic is a perfect venue for exploring different palates and food sensibilities.

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"I don't take picnics very seriously," says Maggie Waldron, a food writer and consultant. "Picnics have to be spontaneous and simple. Otherwise, there's no point to having them."

Adam Willner, a Bay Area wine and restaurant consultant, agrees. "The perfect picnic is the potluck picnic," he says. Willner's family participated in many summer picnics while he was growing up, and he reminisces happily about hiking up the fire trail at Mount Tamalpais to reach a grove overlooking the valley beneath. There the five or six families would spread out blankets, uncork the wines and unwrap all the food. "They were fairly haphazard," he recalls, "but there was always one person that was the motivator, which is all that was really necessary."

A motivator can envision a menu, and ask various people to bring different items. For instance, each person may be asked to bring one simple dish, such as focaccia, an interesting salad or a quantity of fruit and a favorite bottle of wine, beer or other beverage. The motivator provides the tools (knives and forks, paper plates, reusable plastic glasses and platters), the location and the organizing of food groups.

"If I instigate a picnic, then I provide the main element," says Waldron. "A turkey or a ham, and then I ask for accompaniments." Her only rule is that the picnic be totally disorganized. "There's nothing wrong with 10 potato salads," she says, as long as there's some sort of focal point of the meal.

"The French and the Italians really are the people to look to," she says. "Italian picnics are very simple - they have a lot of charcuterie, good bread, exquisite cheeses." The American staples of fried chicken and barbecue are, in Waldron's opinion, too complicated, "a waste of time."

Instead she brings the Oliver Twist, a sandwich that sounds suspiciously like a party game. "I adapted it from M.F.K. Fisher," she explains. "Everybody loves it, especially kids."

Consisting of a large round baguette stuffed with sliced cheeses, meats, olives and hot peppers, the Oliver's distinction lies in its preparation. After stuffing the baguette, return the loaf to its bag, twist it closed, and

"have someone about 100 to 120 pounds sit on it for half an hour or so. The flavors will meld together and you cut it into small pieces."

What if you don't have person of the proper weight? Find a couple of kids, Waldron says: "They can take turns."

Part of the delight of a potluck picnic can be relinquishing control. Ask your picnic mates to bring what they would eat if they were picnicking alone, and see what happens.

Julie Besonen, a freelance journalist based in New York City, recalls one of her most memorable picnics. "It was like an open house in Central Park, where people just came and left at different times," she says. "There were millions of types of cheeses: Port Salut, Bel Paese, goaty ones, spreadable ones. There were crusty breads. There were all different kinds of conversations going on, and all different kinds of wine to taste, like viognier, chenin blancs, French white burgundies and roses." The motivator brought the tools and jars of grainy and Dijon mustard.

Whether you decide to base your potluck picnic at a friend's country house or at a spot in the wilderness, keep the goal of simplicity. Willner points out that cheeses pack well and a little goes a long way. Eaten alone or with fruit or a crusty loaf of bread, cheese is ultimate versatile picnic food.

If you're going to have to work for a picnic, make it part of the group experience. "I think you should earn your picnic," says Willner. "Taking an hour-long hike with a lot of kids and old friends is a great time to catch up. And the food tastes better" when you've exerted yourself.

His specialty is a potato salad that he has been perfecting for more than 10 years. "I tried to copy Lucca Delicatessen's ingredients for their potato salad, which, incidently, they won't reveal," he says. "But the secret is in the vinegar.

"Potato salad is very satisfying, and it's often overlooked. It's the perfect group picnic food because when you make a great potato salad, everybody wants to eat it."

Take advantage of the versatility of the Bay Area. While Waldron finds running water a great convenience and Besonen says that she likes to see a bathroom nearby, it's possible to combine a wilderness setting with city expectations. Think of places like Limantour Beach at Point Reyes, or the Robert Louis Stevenson Park, 7 miles north of Calistoga, which on a clear day provides a view of the Sierra Nevada and the whole of Napa Valley.

San Francisco is a jewel of a picnic city, with a baseball diamond and permanent outdoor grills in the depths of the Presidio (behind the Army houses), and sheltered meadows in Golden Gate Park, like the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden behind the Dutch Windmill.

The best picnics are those that everyone feels a part of. Sharing of food and wine encourages conviviality, conversation and, best of all, a chance to sample foreign tastes.

ADAM'S PICNIC

POTATO SALAD

6 to 8 servings This tastes best when prepared the day before. "With potatoes, it's OK if you err on the side of overseasoning," says Willner. "Remember that a cold dish always requires more seasoning, and that after you chill it the flavors will be less bold."

Wash the potatoes and remove all eyes or blemishes. Cut into 1-by-1-1/4-inch pieces, leaving some pieces larger than others. Place in large pot and cover with cold water, leaving a few inches above the potatoes, and add 1 tablespoon salt, " cup of vinegar and a dash of oil. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft when pierced by a fork.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, marjoram, tarragon, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons olive oil and a tablespoon of vinegar, whisking in gradually. The consistency should be similar to bechamel sauce.

Drain potatoes in colander and rinse in cold water until cooled.

Place potatoes in large mixing bowl and drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil, the rest of the vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss.

SAVORY LEMON FOCACCIA

2 10-1/4-by-15-1/4-inch rectangular pans This focaccia is delicious by itself or when paired with a mild cheese. The coarse salt brings out the flavor of the lemon. This preparation uses a mixer.

1 package active dry yeast

2-1/4 cups cold water

2 tablespoons olive oil

7-1/4 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons sea or Kosher salt

Zest from 2 lemons

Stir the yeast into cold water in a mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment running, gradually add the oil. Add the flour and 1 tablespoon of salt and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes, adding a little extra water if necessary. Change to dough hook and knead at low speed for 3 minutes. The dough should be elastic and velvety.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl in a warm place, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

Cut the dough in half and shape to fit two 10-1/4-by-15-1/4-inch rectangular pans. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, being careful not to allow the wrap to touch the dough. Let rise for 30 minutes.

With your fingertips, make light impressions, or dimples, upon the dough. The dimples can be up to 1/4 inch deep. Cover the tops with plastic wrap again and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

When the last rise has been completed, sprinkle the tops with the lemon zest and the rest of the salt.

Bake at 400 F for 25 to 35 minutes. Eat at room temperature; do not refrigerate.

THE OLIVER TWIST

1 round baguette loaf

Sliced meats: ham, roast turkey, salami, prosciutto, roast beef

Butter to spread

Cheeses, thinly sliced: Gouda, Jack, Swiss, Cheddar, etc.

Optional:

Sliced olives

Pepperoncini

Capers

Mustard

Cut baguette loaf from side to side. Spread butter lightly on each half, and if you wish, Dijon or grainy mustard.

Fill with meats, cheeses, and optional ingredients, if desired.

Return the loaf to the bag and seal tightly. Have someone (weighing approximately 100 pounds) sit on the sandwich for about half an hour.

Remove from bag and, with a bread knife, cut up into small portions. Eat immediately.&lt;

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